The present invention relates to a unitized/panelized wall system and the joints utilized therein. More specifically, the present invention relates to a modular wall construction system that facilitates assembly of unitized wall panels in the shop having a unique interfitting panel joint that facilitates reduced erection and assembly labor in the field.
Architectural panels, such as utilized in exterior building envelope construction, have been in use for a number of years. Conventional exterior building envelope construction can be categorized into three basic construction categories: (1) stick-built construction, (2) unitized curtain wall construction, and (3) panelized wall construction.
Stick-built construction is a relatively old technology. In stick-built construction, a structure is assembled piece-by-piece at a worksite, with little or no prefabrication of the structure into subassemblies prior to delivery of the construction materials to the site. For example, conventional residential/commercial utilize stick-built construction techniques. Conventional stick-built construction can provide a number of benefits. For example stick-built construction is adaptable to customization, relies on the talent of the craftsmen, and is substantially weather dependent in nature.
Unitized curtain wall construction has been in use over the last half-century. Conventional unitized curtain wall assemblies include a combination of glass, mullions, and gaskets, where the glass and aluminum mullions are prefabricated (e.g., shop assembled) offsite. Conventional unitized curtain wall construction can provide a number of benefits. For example, because the assemblies are typically manufactured in a controlled environment (i.e., within a shop rather than on-site), unitized curtain wall construction techniques provide relatively high-quality assemblies.
Panelized wall construction has been in use over the last two decades. Conventional panelized wall construction has replaced some of the stick-built construction in certain scenarios, such as in brick walls, metal panel walls, and corrugated metal walls, for example. Conventional panelized wall assemblies are typically utilized in cases where a wall is not required to be configured as an all-glass wall type. The design includes conventional design components such as heavy structural steel, light gage meal framing, sheathing, air-and-vapor barrier sheets, insulation, sub-girts, and sealant, for example.
Conventional exterior building envelope construction techniques suffer from a variety of deficiencies. For example, stick-built construction is relatively slow and costly to build, and can have variable quality control issues. For unitized curtain wall construction, due to the fundamental basis of the design, conventional unitized curtain wall assemblies typically include a relatively low (i.e., poor) R-Value, such as an effective R-Value of between about 1 and 3, which is due to thermal bridging through aluminum ‘box’ mullions. Further, conventional unitized curtain wall constructions are limited in sizes to approximately five feet (5′) in width.
For panelized wall construction, due to the fundamental basis of the design, conventional panelized wall assemblies include sub-girts having relatively poor thermal bridging (e.g., per ASHREA) and sealant uses at transition joints which requires maintenance, for example. Further, conventional panelized wall assemblies are relatively heavy, have a relatively thick wall depth (12″ to 18″), a relatively low (i.e., poor) R-Value, such as an effective R-Value of between about 4 and 12. Effectively, the panelized wall construction is the same construction method as conventional stick-built constructions. However, panelized wall assemblies are manufactured in a controlled environment, rather than on-site. This provides relatively higher quality, yet relatively poor performance.
By contrast to conventional exterior building envelope construction techniques, embodiments of the present innovation relate to a unitized wall panel assembly. In one arrangement, the unitized wall panel assembly is a composite wall system configured to distribute and transfer loads, such as wind loads, through a composite action between the unitized wall panels and the studs of the assembly. Further, the joint design of the composite wall system provides an increase in thermal performance compared to conventional system. For example, the unitized wall panel assembly provides a substantially large thermal R-Value (e.g., an effective R-Value of about 19 or more per ASHREA) for about half the wall depth of conventional panel wall systems. The design is based upon the interaction among an insulated wall panel, thermally efficient joints, and the finish cladding, such as specified by an architect.